Teeheehee... I've Shrunk. ^_^

[sarahm]

Ok, so I have not been overly tall at all during my life I've always been relatively small, (or normal within a female range of height) Before I was on hormones, I was 5 foot 9 inches, now, 3 months 3 weeks into hormones, I am now 5 foot, 7 inches.

I have lost 2 inches in size! Woah! Oh and I think I am noticing other skeletal changes, but I might be delusional or something.

I am 21 years old. ^_^ Started HRT, about a week and a half after my 21st birthday.

Has anyone experienced any changes to their height, or other skeletal factors ?

~Sarah

[Umbrella]

Woah, that's cool, good for you! ^^ I didn't know HRT could make you shorter--doesn't sound right, actually. Are you sure that's right?

I haven't started it yet (although I may soon) and I wonder if I'll experience something similar? I don't have a problem with my height though, I'm only a little over 5'4" and 110 lbs. I've always been really small--I'm definitely lucky.

[Sarah Louise]

If you have lost 2" in just under 3 months, I would recommend seeing a doctor and getting a checkup.

While I have heard of some people saying they have shrunk, I doubt it would happen in this short of a period.

I shrunk 1/2 inch, but thats from age. my sister shrunk 5", but that was from a spinal issue.

Remeasure yourself.

[uni]

I shrink inches or grow inches too... depending on who's measuring me.

[Steffi]

I read that height also varies depending on when in the day you measure......the cartilage rings expand when we are lying down asleep and then gradually get compressed again whilst upright during the day.

I was 6 foot and am now a half inch shorter.... but I'm 56 so it's probably age, but happened in my first year on hormones.
My feet are definitely a size smaller too, though that's apparently common and due to the loss of male muscle.

Bones do not shrink.

[cynthialee]

in the last 8 months of HRT I have shrunk an inch

[LynnER]

I lost a few inches, It seems really common in younger MtF's  anyone that starts before the age of 25.

I was alittle over 6ft 1in when I first started hrt, I'm now just under 5ft 11in.

[Dark Angel]

I would be worried if I lost 2 inches in 3 months. It took almost almost 2 years of HRT and I went from nearly 5'9" to 5'6" which was measured by my doctor a few months ago. It was a gradual process, and I don't think ill be losing anymore height.

[April Dawne]

If I am remembering correctly, HRT can cause bone shape to change slightly over time, and since it is during puberty that the ends of bones finish closing off before you stop growing altogether, I suppose it does make sense that before the age of 25 some shrinkage is possible before bones are finished developing. Makes me really wish I had known all this about myself a lot earlier!

[aubrey]

I'm 30 something and was 6 ft now 5-10, one shoe size smaller too, and that all happened in the first 6 months of HRT.

[BunnyBee]

My understanding is that it isn't the bones changing but the ligaments loosening and your pelvis shifting that causes the shrinkage.  It is also normal to lose 1/4" to 1/2" by compressing the discs in your spine, etc. throughout the day.

I have shrunk maybe 1/2" since starting HRT which isn't helping much when I'm 6'2".  I'm trying not to get too jealous reading this thread =)

[Katelyn-W]

I was thinking oh you gals are crazy, HRT won't make you shrink... I measured myself (well I actually bugged my mom to measure me >_>) and I'm 5'10 and I use to be 5'11 , it's later in the day so maybe it's the spine thing mentioned. I'm 20 and have been on HRT for close to 4 months now... I actually like my height, hope I don't get smaller. I don't think things like the ribcage can get smaller anyways, so I'd rather stay as proportionate as possible

[turnet]

well i'm a bit older @ 40 (but SWEAR I look 28  ), have been doing HRT since August of 09 and I too have shrunk a tad, although in different areas, namely my feet. Had been a men's 11 and could barely squeeze into a women's size 10; nowadays though, a size 11 in men's is way too big, and a 10 woman's is a very loose. was not expecting that at all! so i do think there is something to what you are experiencing! exciting, ain't it?     

[Shang]

Congrats!  But I also echo the spine thing, because if you're measure later in the day you are generally about an inch shorter than you are in the morning due to compression.  I fluctuate between 5'9.5" and 5'10.5" during the day.  You might also want to get checked to make sure nothing else is going on.

But, if it's all good, congrats!

[LynnER]

My loss of measurement was confirmed medically...

The first time I was sent to the EPPC (el paso  psychiatric center) I looked pretty rough and measured in at 6' 1 1/2" and looked like I was in my early 30's

7 years later I went back, being processed through was a serious pain because I no longer matched any of the records they had of me... I had to be fingerprinted to verify my identity because they didn't believe I was me. I looked like I was in my late teens or early 20's and measured in at 5' 10 1/2"  I was actually pretty happy about that I had only been on HRT for a about 7 months, and had stopped a few months before being admitted.  So the shrinking did happen, It happened in that short time frame.

I still measure in at that height every time I get measured so *shrugs* either everyone was off by 3in before I turned 24 or its something that really happened.

Note: I think its a combination of ligaments, muscles, and slight bone change. I don't have nearly as many back problems as I did when I was younger.

[Fata Morgana]

It is interesting to read about people possibly "shrinking" from HRT. It keeps amazing me what the treatment can do to individuals physically.

I'm about 5 ft 4 inches tall and my height hasn't changed at all during my hormone treatment. Not that it would need to since I'm quite petite already. 

[aubrey]

I think it's mostly spine curvature and muscle loss.

[KirstenR]

That is so cool, I would have never expected that. I'm under six feet by a few inches but wouldn't mind losing an inch or two more

[April Dawne]

I haven't actually measured myself since starting HRT. I was just under 5' 11", but I suppose it's possible that I have lost an inch at least. I will have to measure myself in the AM and see where I stand .... pun intended.

~April

[SamanthaElle]

Ooh, this is quite encouraging. I'm only 5'9" at best, so hopefully I drop a bit lower over time. Yay!